Harris officially accepted the Democratic nomination for president Thursday night to close out the DNC in Chicago. She thanked Biden for his “extraordinary record,” and said that Walz would be an “incredible” vice president. 

Harris’s mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, immigrated to the U.S. at age 19, and taught Harris to “never complain about injustice but do something about it.” 

Harris added that her mother instilled in her to never “do anything half-assed.” 

For years, Harris worked as a prosecutor and said she always charged a case in the name of the people. 

“In our system of justice, a harm against any one of us is a harm against all of us,” Harris said. 

Harris said that in this election, the country has an opportunity to “move past the bitterness and cynicism” of the past, and chart a new way forward. 

“I promise to be a president for all Americans,” Harris said. “You can always trust me to put country above party and self, to hold sacred America’s principles.”

Harris called Trump an unserious man but said the consequences of a second Trump term are “extremely serious.” 

“Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails and how he would use the immense powers of the presidency,” Harris continued, “not to improve your life … but to serve the only client he has ever had– himself.”

Harris said many fundamental freedoms are at stake in the 2024 election, including voting rights, gun reform, marriage equality, and defending democracy. Additionally, she said she would work to honor America’s heritage as a nation of immigrants while reforming the immigration system. 

“We can create an earned path to citizenship and secure our border,” Harris said.  

Harris addressed the ongoing war in Gaza, saying she and Biden are working to get a hostage and ceasefire deal done. While Harris said that she will stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself, she acknowledged that the situation in Gaza is “devastating” and “heartbreaking.” 

“President Biden and I are working to end the war such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom, and self-determination,” Harris said.  

Harris said she would “never waver” in defending American security and its ideals. 

“In the enduring struggle between democracy and tyranny, I know where I stand and I know where America belongs,” Harris said. 

N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper, who served as the state’s attorney general while Harris served in the same post in California, categorized her as “a leader who does exactly what she says she’s gonna do.” 

“America, we have a lot of fights ahead of us,” Cooper said. “And we have a hell of a fighter ready to take them on.”

Maya Harris, lawyer and sister of Vice President Harris, says her sister knows what it is like to be underestimated and counted out.

“Where others push darkness, Kamala sees promise,” Maya Harris said. “Where others feel detachment, Kamala fosters connection. While others want to drag us to the past, my sister says ‘We’re not going back.’” 

Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, who served on the Jan. 6 committee, says Trump has “suffocated the soul” of the Republican party, and that he is proud to be in the trenches to “defend democracy, truth, and decency.” 

“I have learned something about the Democratic party and I want to let the Republicans in on a little secret,” Kinzinger said. “The Democrats are as patriotic as us … love our country just as much … and are just as eager to defend American values at home and abroad as we conservatives as we have ever been.”

Kinzinger added that the Republican party is no longer conservative, but instead has shifted its allegiance from the principles that gave it purpose to Trump, “a man whose only purpose is himself.” 

“He is a weak man pretending to be strong …  a small man pretending to be big … a faithless man pretending to be righteous … a perpetrator who can’t stop playing the victim,” Kinzinger said.

Mich. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is referred to as “Big Gretch” and “That woman from Michigan,” the latter of which is an insult from Trump that she wears as a “badge of honor,” she said.

Taking care of her mother dying from brain cancer, Whitmer said those nights reminded her who she was fighting for: “People just trying to make it.” 

“Kamala Harris knows who she is fighting for too,” Whitmer said. “She has lived a life like ours. She knows us.”

Ariz. Sen. Mark Kelly, who was under consideration to be Harris’s running mate, said that while he served as an astronaut and in the U.S. Navy, he never flew into space or combat without a team behind him. 

“Not once did I do that by myself,” Kelly said. “It took a team to accomplish a mission.”

Kelly said Vladimir Putin and other adversaries – Iran, North Korea, and China – are watching closely. 

“What’s Trump’s answer,” Kelly asked. “He invited Russia to do ‘whatever the hell they want.’ to Ukraine. VP Harris has always championed America’s support for NATO, for Ukraine, and for the Ukrainian people.”

Ga. Rep. Lucy McBath, who lost her son Jordan to gun violence, led a conversation on gun violence at the DNC Thursday evening. McBath was joined by Abbey Clements of Newtown, Conn., Kim Rubio of Uvalde, Tex., Melody McFadden of Charleston, S.C., and Edgar Vilchez of Chicago, Ill. 

Clements was a second-grade teacher at the time of the Sandy Hook mass shooting. She stopped by the office and started her day with her second graders. She suddenly heard a loud crash, 154 gunshots blaring. She and her students hid and tried to drown out the sounds of gunfire.

“Terror, crying, running, I carry that horrific day with me,” Clements said. “Twenty beautiful first-grade children and six of my colleagues were killed. They should still be here.”

Rubio’s daughter was killed in the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Tex. Rubio said she frequently reaches out for the daughter she “will never [get to] hold again.” 

McFadden’s niece Sandy was murdered more than 10 years ago, her case still unsolved. McFadden said she will “keep calling and keep fighting” to get justice for her niece. 

Vilchez was in high school when his classmate was shot. 

“I started worrying about living to take another test,” Vilchez said. “They say schools are about learning… I learned how to run, hide, and drop.”

 Vilchez added that “we can write a new story if we choose to.”

McBath said their losses “strengthen their resolve.”

“We will secure safer futures that we all deserve,” McBath said.  

Fla. Rep. Maxwell Frost reiterated in his remarks to the DNC that the climate crisis is not a far-off threat. 

“It is here,” Frost said. 

“I’ve walked the streets of communities who have been forced to rebuild after hurricane flooding,” Frost said. “I’ve felt the scorching record heat. With our movement and with organizing, and an administration that cares, we are making progress.”

Frost said the 2024 election is about “every drop of water we consume and every breath we breathe.” 

“Unlike Donald Trump, our patriotism is more than some damn slogan on a hat,” Frost said. “It’s about actually giving a damn about the people who live in this country.” 

Mass. Gov. Maura Healey said the words “for the people” define the role of a prosecutor, to not only serve clients in the courtroom but also the community at large. 

Healey added that Harris fights for all Americans, “she stays on offense, and she wins.”

“We face a stark choice in this election: a felon and conman or a dedicated prosecutor,” Healey said, “He obstructs justice, she upholds it. He thinks he’s above the law, she actually understands the law.”

Mich. Rep. Elisa Slotkin, who is also the state’s Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, urged all Americans to “claim your patriotism” heading into the 2024 election. 

“Do not give an inch to pretenders who wrap themselves in the flag but spit in the face of freedoms it represents,” Slotkin said. 

Mass. Sen. Elizabeth Warren received a standing ovation before speaking at the DNC Thursday night. 

Warren said that Harris won’t be “bought or bossed around.” 

“[She] was protecting families as California’s Attorney General,” Warren continued, “and [Trump] was scamming students at Trump University.” 

Warren claimed that Trump has no plan to lower costs for American families and that the only bills he cares about are those “from his criminal defense attorneys.” 

Mass. Rep. Catherine Clark, who concurrently serves as democratic whip, said that her entire income went to childcare while she and her husband raised their children. 

“Childcare makes our economy run,” Clark continued, “and yet, Donald Trump’s project 2025 will eliminate Head Start, close classrooms, and raise the cost of care.” 

Clark added that “normal” people want a president that understands that raising a family “shouldn’t be so damn hard.”

Marcia Fudge, former secretary of housing and urban development, said that Harris understands that housing is a human right and a pathway to the middle class. 

Meanwhile, Fudge said Trump “has no idea how housing works for everyday Americans.” 

“We can hand the keys to our housing policy back to a negligent landlord, or we can elect a president who believes in safe affordable housing for all,” Fudge said. 

California Sen. Alex Padilla, who filled Harris’s senate seat when she became vice president, says his predecessor has taken on fights “to make life better for this generation and the next.” 

Padilla added that he felt honored to fill Harris’s seat in the Senate, but knew that he “had some big Chuck Taylors to fill.” 

With cheers of “Coach” and “We’re not going back” ringing through the United Center, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for vice president.

“We are all here tonight for one beautiful and simple reason: We love this country,” Walz said.

Growing up in Buque, Nebraska, Walz said small-town life taught him and his neighbors how to care for each other.

“That family down the road, they might not think, pray, or love like you do,” Walz said. “But they look out for you, and you look out for them.”

Walz said his high school students inspired him to run for Congress.

“They saw in me what I hoped to instill in them,” Walz continued, “a commitment to the common good, an understanding that we’re all in this together, and the belief that a single person can make a real difference for their neighborhood.”

Walz took aim at Trump and Vance, saying they do not understand what it takes to be “a good neighbor.”

“They spent a lot of time pretending they know nothing about Project 2025,” Walz said. “When somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, they’re going to use it.”

Walz compared the state of the 2024 race to being down a field goal in the fourth quarter of a football game.

“We’re on offense, we have the ball, and we’re driving down the field,” Walz said. “Our job to everyone watching is to get into the trenches and do the tackling and the blocking.”

Former South Bend Mayor and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg began his remarks at the DNC Wednesday night with “I am Pete Buttigieg and you might recognize me from FOX News.”

Buttigieg said he believes in going anywhere to advocate in the service of a “good cause.” He added that the DNC is gathering for a very good cause to elect Harris and Walz and reject Trump and Vance. 

“Donald Trump rants about law and order as if he wasn’t a convicted criminal running against a prosecutor,” Buttigieg said. “Don’t get me started on his new running mate.”

Buttigieg took aim at Vance’s position that if “you don’t have kids, you have ‘no physical commitment to the future of this country.’” 

“When I deployed to Afghanistan, I didn’t have kids then. Many of the men and women who went outside the wire with me didn’t have kids either,” Buttigieg said. “But let me tell you, our commitment to this country was pretty damn physical.”

After watching the Obamas speak at the DNC last night, Oprah Winfrey said she felt fired up to do something. 

“What we’re going to do is elect Kamala Harris as the next president of the United States,” Winfrey said. 

Winfrey added that there are people across the country who seek to divide and then conquer factions of the American people.

“When we stand together, it is impossible to conquer us,” Winfrey said. 

Winfrey said that freedom is not free and that America is “an ongoing project” that requires hard work. 

“We are beyond ridiculous tweets, lies, and foolery,” Winfrey said. “these times require adult conversations.” 

Pa. Gov. Josh Shapiro, who was under consideration to be Harris’s running mate, spoke to the DNC Wednesday evening, declaring that the Democratic party stands for “real freedom.” 

“In every chapter of our American story, we have made progress and … advanced the cause of American freedom,” Shapiro said. “Will we be a nation defined by chaos and extremism or will we choose a path of decency, honor, and continued progress?”

Shapiro said Harris has spent every day of her career “making progress,” and said that another instance of “real freedom” will come when people “can look at Madam President and know where anything and everything is possible.”

Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto first met Harris when they served as attorneys general of their respective states. She said Harris would not settle for anything “less than.” 

“Delivering for families … holding criminals accountable … standing up for justice, that’s Kamala Harris,” Cortez Masto said.

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said the choice “couldn’t be clearer” in the 2024 election. She took direct aim at Trump for his role on Jan. 6, 2021. 

“Jan. 6 was a perilous moment for our democracy,” Pelosi said. “Never before had a president of the United States … betrayed his oath of office.” 

Pelosi added that democracy is only as strong as the “courage and commitment of those who are entrusted with its care.” She said that Harris is ready to take the United States “to new heights.”

“Officially, she is a leader of strength and eloquence,” Pelosi continued, “politically, she is astute and strategic.” 

Former President Bill Clinton thanked Biden for making the difficult decision to “voluntarily give up political power,” getting the country back to work amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and for “trying desperately to get a ceasefire [deal] in the Middle East.” 

Clinton added there is a stark choice in 2024, between “Kamala Harris, for the people, and the other guy who is about ‘Me, Myself, and I.’”  

“Not a day goes by that I don’t thank the Lord for the chance I had to serve,” Clinton said. “Kamala Harris is the only candidate in this race with the vision, the experience, the temperament, the will, and yes—the sheer joy—to  get something done.”

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries paid tribute to Biden for passing the torch to Harris and a new generation of leaders.

“Last month, Biden selflessly passed the torch to Kamala Harris, who is ready and able to fight for the people,” Jeffries said. “Kamala Harris is fighting for our freedom… our families … and our futures.”  

Jeffries later compared Trump to an “old boyfriend” who will not go away. 

“[Trump is] trying to get back into a relationship with the American people,” Jeffries said. “Bro, we broke up with you for a reason.”

Olivia Troye, a former Trump administration national security official, said her decision to resign was the “right one” to make as an American. 

“I saw how Trump undermined our intelligence community, military leaders, and our democratic process,” Troye said. “Being inside Trump’s White House was terrifying. What keeps me up at night is what will happen if he gets back there.”

Geoff Duncan, the former lieutenant governor of Georgia, called Trump out for working to overturn the 2020 election in his state. 

“I realized Trump was a direct threat to democracy and his actions disqualified him from ever stepping foot in the Oval Office again,” Duncan said. 

He added that the Republican party is “chaotic,” “crazy,” and the way to change the state of the party is to “Dump Trump.” 

Rep. Bennie Thompson, who served as chair of the Jan. 6 committee, said that his only goal on Jan. 6 was to uphold “the will” of the American people. 

“The members of that violent mob had another goal,” Thompson said. “They wanted to stop the peaceful transfer of power for the first time in American democracy.”

Thompson noted that in the United States, voters should settle their differences at the ballot box and not through political violence. 

Sergeant Aquilino Gonell, a retired Capitol police officer, said that even his military training in Iraq did not prepare him for the Jan. 6 attack. 

“President Donald Trump summoned our attackers and betrayed us,” Gonell said. “I took an oath to protect the constitution. I ask Donald Trump: Why don’t you?” 

Rep. Andy Kim was famously photographed cleaning up debris after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. 

“That night, I walked into the rotunda,” Kim continued, “ strewn with the chaos unleashed by Donald Trump.” 

Kim added that on Jan. 6, he learned that all Americans are caretakers of the republic. 

“As a father, I refuse to believe our kids are doomed to grow up in a broken America,” Kim said.

Texas Rep. Veronica Escobar called out Trump and Republicans for tanking a bipartisan immigration bill as a political stunt. 

“When it comes to the border, hear me when I say, ‘You know nothing, Donald Trump,’” Escobar said. “He and his Republican imitators see the border and immigration as a political opportunity to exploit instead of an issue to address.”

Escobar noted that Congress has not passed comprehensive immigration reform in nearly four decades. On three occasions, according to Escobar, Republicans have blocked bills to improve the nation’s immigration system. 

New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker took aim at former President Donald Trump, saying that he speaks more of American carnage than American compassion. 

“[Trump’s] is the politics of fear and smear,” Booker said. “In America, you can’t lead the people if you don’t love the people.”

John Polin and Rachel Goldberg’s only son, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, was taken hostage by Hamas following the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7 in Israel. 

Goldberg noted that 109 hostages are currently being held by Hamas including eight American citizens. The youngest hostage, according to Greenberg, is one year old, and the oldest is 86. 

“This is a political convention, but [bringing] our only son and all the hostages home is not a political issue,” Polin said.

Former President Barack Obama walked onstage to chants of “Yes, We Can” and said he felt fired up after a more than two-minute standing ovation. 

Obama said that the Democratic conventions have been “pretty good” to kids with funny names who believe in a country where “anything” is possible. He paid tribute to Biden for his empathy, decency, and resilience. 

“History will remember Joe Biden as an outstanding president who defended democracy at a moment of great danger,” Obama said. “I am proud to call him my president, but I am even prouder to call him my friend.”

Contrasting Harris with Trump, Obama asserted that his successor is “not losing sleep” over the futures of everyday Americans, but instead sees power “as nothing more than a means to his ends.” 

We do not need four more years of bluster, blundering, and chaos… we all know that the sequel is usually worse,” Obama said. “America is ready for a new chapter … a better story … a President Kamala Harris.”

Former First Lady Michelle Obama referred to Harris as one of the most qualified and dignified individuals to run for president. She added that going “small” is never the answer, taking aim at Trump. 

“Why would we normalize that kind of backward leadership,” Obama said. “We cannot indulge our anxieties about whether our country will elect someone like Kamala, instead of doing everything we can to get someone like Kamala elected.”

Obama ultimately urged all supporters to “do something” to help elect the Harris-Walz ticket, and to act as if “lives depend on it.”

Second Gentleman Dough Emhoff painted his wife as a happy, joyful warrior while speaking to the Democratic National Convention Tuesday night. 

“Wherever she is needed, Kamala rises to the occasion,” Emhoff said. “She will be a great president we will all be proud of.”

Emhoff called his wife’s empathy her strength and called his decision to marry Harris the best decision he ever made. 

“Thursday will be our tenth wedding anniversary,” Emhoff said. “That same night, we will hear my wife, Kamala Harris, accept your nomination for president of the United States.”

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker took aim at Trump for his policy positions during the COVID-19 pandemic and Republicans for labeling Harris as a “DEI hire.” 

“If Americans are Black or brown, they want to get promoted at work without being derided as a DEI hire for the sin of being successful while not white,” Pritzker said. 

He added that the choice in November’s election is between the man “who left our country a total mess” and the woman who has spent four years “cleaning it up.” 

“I think it’s time we stop expecting women to clean up messes without the authority and title to match the job,” Pritzker said.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who ran against Biden in the 2020 primary, said that it is incredibly important to elect Harris in November. 

When Trump was in office, Sanders said the country was “in the midst of the worst public health crisis in 100 years and the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.”

Sanders added that the Biden-Harris administration rapidly responded upon entering office by passing the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act. 

“When the political will is there, government can effectively deliver for the people of our country,” Sanders said.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer referred to Harris as the “most incredible partner” that Senate Democrats could have asked for. He also reiterated that November’s election has two stark choices. 

“This November, we can choose a brighter, fairer, and freer future,” Schumer said. “Or we can relive Donald Trump’s vision for American carnage.”

Former Trump Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham, the first senior White House official to resign on Jan. 6, said her former boss lacks the character to serve as president. 

“Behind closed doors, Trump mocks his supporters,” Grisham said. “He is mad when the cameras are not on him… He has no empathy, morals, or fidelity to the truth.” 

Grisham added that Harris tells the truth, respects the American people, and has her vote.

The speaking program for the second night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago has been revealed. 

Jason Carter, the grandson of former President Jimmy Carter, and Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of former President John F. Kennedy, are scheduled to speak in the first portion of programming, beginning at 6:30 p.m. EST. Pa. State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta is scheduled to highlight the economic ramifications of Project 2025 shortly thereafter. 

Stephanie Grisham, former Trump White House press secretary, is scheduled to speak shortly after 7 p.m. 

A celebratory roll call of delegates will take place around 8 p.m. EST, followed by a host introduction by Ana Navarro. Senate Majority Chuck Schumer, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker will follow Navarro’s remarks. 

Second Gentleman and Doug Emhoff and former First Lady Michelle Obama will speak before 11 p.m., with former President Barack Obama headlining the evening.

After being introduced by his daughter Ashley, Biden received a nearly five-minute standing ovation, with cheers of “Thank you, Joe” ringing through the United Center. 

Biden recounted how nearly four years ago, he took his oath of office at the Capitol surrounded by the National Guard, just weeks after the Jan. 6 attack. He reiterated that there is no place in America for political violence. 

“You cannot say you love your country only when you win,” Biden said. 

Biden largely highlighted the accomplishments of the Biden-Harris administration and used these talking points to contrast Vice President Harris with former President Donald Trump. 

Biden assailed Trump for calling America a losing nation, instead calling Trump a “loser” and “dead wrong.” He additionally criticized Trump for referring to servicemembers as “suckers and losers.” 

“Who the hell does he think he is,” Biden said. “These are not the words of someone who deserves to serve as commander-in-chief. Not today, not ever.” 

A point of contention within the Democratic party, Biden emphasized that he and Harris are working to bring hostages home, end the war in Gaza, and bring peace and security to the Middle East. 

“Those protesters in the street have a point,” Biden said. “A lot of innocent people are being killed on both sides. [Let’s] deliver a ceasefire and end this war.”

Biden said it has been the honor of his life to serve as president. He reiterated that selecting Harris was the first decision he made ahead of becoming the Democratic nominee in 2020. He calls it the best decision of his career. 

“Kamala and Tim will [carry] on that work,” Biden said. “She will be a president people can look to … will be respected by world leaders … and will be a historic president who will put her stamp on America’s future.” 

The 2024 presidential election will be the first since the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Biden emphasized that the American people must vote to preserve democracy.  

“We saved democracy in 2020, and now, we must save it again in 2024,” Biden said. “It’s that simple and it’s that serious. America’s future is in your hands.”

Biden ended his remarks by quoting the song “American Anthem.” 

“The work and prayers of centuries have brought us to this day. What shall be our legacy? What will our children say,” Biden said. “Let me know in my heart when my days are through. America, America, I gave my best to you.”

First Lady Jill Biden began her remarks on Monday that while she and the president have been together for nearly 50 years, there are still moments where she “falls in love with him all over again.” 

Some of these moments, according to the First Lady, include receiving the Medal of Freedom with humility, placing his hand on the Biden family bible to take his oath of office, and digging deep into his soul to decide to no longer seek re-election and endorse Harris. 

“Joe and I know Kamala. We have seen her courage, determination, and leadership up close,” she said. “Kamala and Tim, you will win. And you are inspiring a new generation.”

Trigger warning: This update includes mentions of miscarriage and rape. 

Amanda and Josh Zurawski of Texas dreamed of welcoming their child, Willow, into the world. They were told with certainty, however, that they would lose their baby. 

“I’m here tonight because the fight for reproductive rights isn’t just a woman’s fight,” Josh Zurawski said. “This is about fighting for our families.”

Amanda Zurawski said that Trump would work to pass a national abortion ban and restrict birth control and fertility treatments in a second term. Trump said he would give power to the states to decide on abortion rights, but Project 2025 includes language to institute a national abortion ban.

“We cannot let that happen,” she said. “We need to vote as if lives depend on it. Because they do.” 

Kaitlyn Joshua of Louisiana was sent away from three emergency rooms while in pain during a miscarriage. 

“Because of Louisiana’s abortion ban, no one would confirm that I was miscarrying,” Joshua said. “I was in pain, bleeding so much that my husband feared for my life.” 

Joshua added that America and its daughters “deserve better.” 

Hadley Duvall of Kentucky recounted that during high school, she was considered an “All American Girl”: varsity soccer captain, cheerleading captain, homecoming queen, and survivor. She was raped by her stepfather at 12 years old and found out she was pregnant weeks later. 

“That was the first time I was told I had options,” Duvall said. “I can’t imagine not having a choice. But, today, that is the reality of many women and girls across the country because of Donald Trump and his abortion bans.”

Duvall said that Trump calls abortion bans “a beautiful thing.” In response, she posed the question, “What is so beautiful about a child having to carry her parents’ child?”

Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett compared Harris and Trump’s skillsets and resumes in their respective presidential campaigns. 

She said that Harris worked at McDonalds while Trump inherited generational wealth “with a silver spoon in his mouth.” 

“She’s lived the American dream while he’s been America’s nightmare,” Crockett said.  

Crockett added that Harris sees the humanity in all Americans and that she is the only candidate “capable of empathy.” 

Ending her remarks with a question, Crockett asked, “Will a vindictive vile villain violate voters’ vision for a better America or not?”

Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin called out Trump and his running mate, Senator JD Vance, for converting Lincoln’s party into “a dangerous cult of personality.” 

“We meet in this great city tonight where Lincoln was nominated in 1860 to save the Union from fanatical insurrectionists, and where Franklin Roosevelt was renominated in 1940 to defeat fascist dictators,” Raskin said. “Now, we fight in our time to defend our freedom and our democracy against the Banana Republicans.”

Raskin also spoke directly to Vance, asking him if he knew why there was a “job opening for a running mate” on the Republican ticket.

“They tried to kill your predecessor because he would not follow Trump’s plan to destroy and nullify the votes of millions of Americans,” Raskin said.

Former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee received a standing ovation for more than two minutes before beginning her remarks at the DNC Monday night. 

Clinton declared that Harris has the character, experience, and vision to serve as president. 

“As president, she will always have our backs … fight to lower costs for hard-working families … open the doors wide for good paying jobs … and restore abortion rights nationwide,” Clinton said.

Clinton contrasted Harris and Trump, saying that Harris cares about kids, families, and the American people, and that Trump only cares about himself. 

“On her first day in court, Kamala said five words that guide her still: ‘Kamala Harris, for the people,’” Clinton said. “That’s something Donald Trump will never understand.”

In 2016, Clinton vied to “break the glass ceiling” in American politics. She fell short of Trump in the electoral college tally but won the popular vote. 

“On the other side of that glass ceiling is Kamala Harris raising her right hand and taking the oath of office as the 47th president of the United States,” Clinton said.

New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez began her remarks Monday night by thanking Chicago for its energy, Harris and Walz for their vision, and Biden for his leadership. 

Ocasio-Cortez noted that before she was elected to Congress, she worked as a bartender without health insurance who lived paycheck to paycheck. 

“We were tired of a cynical politics that seemed blind to the needs of working people,” she said. 

Ocasio-Cortez described Harris as a leader on the side of working families across the country. 

“In Kamala Harris, we have the chance to elect a president who is for the middle class, because she is from the middle class,” Ocasio-Cortez said. 

A key point of contention between the factions of the Democratic party is the administration’s response to the ongoing war in Gaza. Ocasio-Cortez, however, said that Harris is working “tirelessly to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and bring hostages home.”

Steve Kerr, head coach of the Golden State Warriors, said that when he received an invitation to speak at the DNC Monday night, it was too important not to speak up “in an election of this magnitude.”

Kerr said as a coach, former basketball player, and a family man, he looks for leaders who have “dignity… tell the truth … and care for and love the people they are leading.” 

“With Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, I see all those qualities,” Kerr said, telling viewers to vote for Harris and Walz.

“When we get the results, we can tell Donald Trump, ‘Night, night,’” he added.

Vice President Kamala Harris appeared on stage at the DNC, making surprise remarks following a campaign video to “Freedom” by Beyoncé. 

Harris thanked Biden for his “historic” leadership and “lifetime” of service in government. Harris said that Americans will come together in November with one voice and declare that “We are moving forward.” 

Harris ended her remarks with a key campaign slogan, “When we fight, we win.”

Leaders from some of the country’s most prominent labor unions spoke in support of Vice President Kamala Harris. 

Onstage were Lee Saunders (AFSCME); April Verrett (SEIU); Brent Booker (LiUNA); Kenneth Cooper (IBEW); Claude Cummings Jr. (CWA); and Elizabeth Shuler (AFL-CIO). 

Shuler currently serves as the AFL-CIO’s first female president. She described two economic visions being presented in this year’s election. Trump’s vision, according to Shuler, is one where families live paycheck to paycheck and where people do not have the right to join a labor union. Harris’s vision, on the other hand, is an “opportunity economy,” where the government will work to lower costs, go after “big pharma,” and promote union jobs. 

“This is the future that our president Joe Biden has fought for, and that’s the future that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz will continue fighting for,” Shuler said. 

California Rep. Robert Garcia paid tribute to his mother and stepfather, both of whom died of COVID-19 during the summer of 2020. Garcia also used this opportunity to contrast the respective Trump-Pence and Biden-Harris COVID-19 responses.

“When Donald Trump and his MAGA extremists downplayed the horror of the pandemic, it should make us all furious,” Garcia said. “[Biden and Harris] got people vaccinated … got the virus under control … safely opened our schools … and passed the American Rescue Plan.”

Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Jamie Harrison and Democratic National Convention Chair Minyon Moore called the 2024 Democratic National Convention to order around 5:30 p.m. central time on Monday.  

“The Democratic Party is and always will be for the people [and] for our future,” Harrison said. “We are honored to be a part of American history as we gavel in this convention and celebrate this historic nomination.”

Staff at the Democratic National Convention unveiled the nightly themes of the four-day event taking place in Chicago. 

Monday, themed “For the People,” will feature a keynote address from President Joe Biden. Tuesday, “A Bold Future for America’s Future,” will include a speech from former President Barack Obama. Wednesday, “A Fight for Our Freedoms,” is when Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is expected to accept his party’s nomination for vice president. Thursday, “For Our Future,” will feature a nomination acceptance speech from Vice President Kamala Harris, rounding out the week’s festivities.

The 2024 Democratic National Convention is set to begin on Monday in Chicago, where Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz are expected to receive their party’s nominations for president and vice president.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson will speak Monday evening, and President Joe Biden is expected to headline Monday’s speakers.

Other scheduled speakers for the convention include Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, 2016 Democratic presidential nominee and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and former First Lady Michelle Obama.